Gavin Lux got off to a miserable start this season but lately has turned things around and is emerging as one of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ best hitters.
Since June 9, Lux is batting .294/.363/.455 with eight doubles, five home runs and 23 RBI in 160 plate appearances (47 games). He has been especially productive since the All-Star break, hitting .404 with nine extra-base hits and 12 RBI in 18 games.
The 26-year-old recently attributed his recent success to being more aggressive, which includes swinging the bat harder.
Dodgers hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc believes Lux’s new approach has given him more freedom at the plate, via Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic:
“He’s like, ‘Screw it. If I’m going down, I’m going down aggressive,’” hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc said. “I think there’s some freedom in that.”
Lux said that his bat speed is naturally going to increase by being more aggressive:
“I think that just shows you, if the intent’s there, the bat speed’s gonna be up,” Lux said. “It’s a little bit of everything. I think the intent is where a lot of it is coming from.”
Lux further believes his previous struggles stemmed from treating the start of each at-bat with a two-strike mentality:
“In the minor leagues, it was always like, the first two pitches are mine to do damage,” Lux said. “The pitcher makes a good pitch on the corner or down and away and I don’t feel like I can do damage on it, then I’m going to take it. Then once you get to two strikes, then it’s try to fight and put the ball in play. But those first two are mine. From there you just grind it out.
“(Earlier this season), I was almost taking like a two-strike mentality from the first pitch.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently noted he has seen Lux showing more confidence at the plate. “Each day he comes in there’s a little bit more confidence,” Roberts explained.
“He’s swinging the bat as well as he has in quite some time.”
Gavin Lux’s 2024 season
In 96 games this season, Lux is batting .245/.307/.361 with 14 doubles, two triples, six home runs and 36 RBI across 339 plate appearances.
Lux’s hot stretch helped him earn him National League Player of the Week honors for July 15-21, marking the first time he has been honored with the feat.
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